Kelly George squinted as he stood at the bridge of PT 728 Friday morning and sized up the Savannah River. "Yep," he said, "we can go full throttle here and do high-speed maneuvers."

The sleek craft still has her speed. "She's just as fast" as the World War II boats, said George.

And she still packs a charge. "She's got five 50-caliber Browning machine guns," said George, along with a 20mm Oerlikon cannon and four torpedoes.

But it's something intangible that truly sets this warship apart - its link to desperate struggles and to courageous men such as PT 109 skipper Lt. j.g. John F. Kennedy.

PT 728 missed the actual fighting. Her keel was laid at the Annapolis Yacht Yard on Aug. 10, 1945, just a few days before Japan surrendered. She was then transferred to the Soviet navy as part of the Lend-Lease Program.

Soon after that, the craft passed into private ownership, a harbor that protected her from the sad fate of almost all her sister PTs.

"They burned 121 at one time in the Philippines," said George, a discernible note of sadness in his voice. "They said it was too expensive to ship 'em home."

According to www.ptboats.org, 531 PT boats were placed in U.S. Navy service during World War II. Perhaps 200 others, like PT 728, were built after the war and then sent to Britain or the Soviet Union.

Today, said George, less than 10 remain - and most of them are in museums.

"This is the last PT boat left floating that's in a military configuration and certified by the Coast Guard to carry passengers," said George.

He's proud of PT 728's recent renovation, and attributes its present immaculate state to the generosity of its owner, Rob Iannucci, a retired New York attorney. "This boat does not make any money at all," said George.

The ship's purpose, as it cruises up the East Coast from its home port in Key West, is to honor World War II veterans.

"The response so far has been overwhelming," said George.

But he recognizes time is of the essence.

"They're dying at the rate of 800 a day."

If You Go

What: Tours of PT 728.

Where: On River Street, behind the Hyatt Regency Savannah.

When: Narrated boat tours will be offered at 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. today and at 2 p.m., 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. The tours will last 45 minutes and cost $5 a person. Cruises will be offered at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. The cruises will last 90 minutes and are $50 for adults and $25 for children 6 to 16.